Sunday, March 22nd, 2009

Hello Halifax

Halifax, Nova Scotia

David Vest is a trucker who rides the treacherous route in Canada’s northern Territories. He is my flight neighbour on Air Canada Tango headed for Halifax. David told me about his job that on the winter’s frozen tundra you can drive for hours, see no people (especially pedestrians) and maybe pass two or three trucks in the course of one day. If you run into mechanical problems you could be a goner. You would freeze to death as there may be no help or rescue.

“In two or three weeks der won’t be no highway. It will dissolve. Everything will thaw and melt”, said David who lives in Gander, Newfoundland.

To greet me at the airport was Nitai Rama. He arranged for my stay at the tiny Halifax ashram on Quinpool, a flat one floor above a vintage clothes shop called, “This and That – Recycled Fashions”. Nitai was telling me about his success along with new monk, Jeff, on their special Indian sweet stall at the downtown Market Place. It’s a regular feature and is a big hit at the crowded Saturday venue. The sweets are unique and the monks here are a little reserved to sharing how they are made.

A group of twenty guests crammed into the ashram indulging in a killer kirtan (chanting session). We really developed the dance accompaniment. Preceding that was reflection on the verse 2:40 from the Gita wherein Krishna expresses that even the smallest endeavour made on the path of devotion is a permanent asset for the soul.

It was a very encouraging message for the group.

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